Water dam for flooding roofs or the like



Nov. 18, 1952 MATHEIS WATER DAM FOR FLOODING ROOFS OR THE. LIKE 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Aug. 1, 1947 INVENTOR. AAeo/v nun/as BY Patented Nov. 18, 1952 WATER DAM FOR FLOODING ROOFS OR THE LIKE Aaron Mathcis, Michigan City, Ind assignor to .iosam Manufacturing Company,

Cleveland,

Ghio, a corporation of Delaware Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,348

of the character referred to which may be readily adjusted to vary the elevation at which drainage will occur or which may be manipulated to effect complete drainage, if desired. a

It is also an object of the invention to provide a relatively simple device of the character set forth which will consist of but few easily formed parts and which will be leakproof between the ad justable parts thereof. 7 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred forms of the invention, reference being made to the drawings wherein: Y I a Fig. 1 is a plan view in elevation of one form of a water dam device mounted in a roof drain; .Fig. 2 is a view in section taken on line 2+2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view in section of another form of a water dam device embodying the invention, the section being similar to that of Fig. 2; and

4 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section of still another form of a. water dam device embodying the invention.

In some instances, it is desirable to flood or maintain a certain depth of water on the roof of a building. This is done by providing a water retaining wall around the edges of the roof. and providing a drain fixture withits inlet at the maximum level desired for the water depth. The depth of water desired may vary from building to building or point to point on the roof of the.

same building, and it may likewise be desirable to vary the depth of the water or to completely drain the roof. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a drain device which may be adjustable to regulate the depth at which the water will commence to drain from the roof, including provision for complete drainage.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I have shown a flooding water dam or drain device indicated generally at [0 which is adapted to be mounted in a well known drain sump'l l in, a roof to prevent drainage from the roof until the water level reaches that desired and which device may be adjusted to change the water level. Although I have shown the water dam device mounted in a sump type drain, it is to be understood that it could be mounted in other suitable types of drain fixtures, if desired. The sump ll 2 Claims. (Cl. 182-31) comprises a bowl shaped upper part open at the bottom and having a neck l2 depending therefrom which may be suitably connected with a building drain pipe l3 which leads to a sewer, not shown. The sump II is set in the roof M of the building, which roof may include a sheeting l5, which is adapted to be tightly clamped to a pcripheral flange l6 of the drain by a ring I! clamped to the drain I I by bolts l8 received in threaded lugs about the edges of the drain. The manner in which the drain is set in the roof and sealed therein does not form a part of the present invention. V

g The flooding water dam or drain consists of a base member indicated generally at 2] and a tubular dam member 22. is tubular in form and has a cup-like structure 24 formed about the base thereof, for catching sediment and the upper portion of member 2| is provided with an annular inwardly projecting radial flange 25 spaced slightly below the top edge thereof. The member 21 may be a casting of any suitable metal. The member 2| is set in the sump H with the passageway therethrough in registration with the drain pipe l3, and preferably the member 2| is retained in place by roof mastic 27 which is interposed between the under surface of the cup-like structure 24 and the sump ll forming awater-tight seal between the member and the sump H. The roof mastic 21 may be of a tar-like material and material of this character is well known in the art. Adjacent'the top of the member 2! are three slotted lugs 30 between the prongs of each a drop bolt 3| is pivotally mounted by a pin 32. The purpose of the drop' bolts will be apparent hereinafter.

The dam member 22 is in the form of a tube that is dome shaped at the top end and open at the bottom end. This member may also be formed of a casting of any suitable metal. The top portion, including the dome, is provided with a plurality of slot-like openings 34 which form a strainer through which water may pass- 'l-he.

lower; end of the member 22 is open fordischarging water into the drain pipe l3. The out,- side. diameter of member 22 is such that it may be freely inserted into the tubular member 2 land the sides of, the member 22 are adaptedatoibe' proximate the edges of the, flange 25' when. the member 22 isso insertedin the base member. A plurality of lugs 35 are formed on the outside of the member 22 immediately beneath the lower tierof openings 34, which'lugs are adapted to form stops for limiting the movement of the member 22 into the member 2|.

The base member 2! The member 22 may be adjustably positioned inside member 2| by an annular gasket 31 which is adapted to lay upon the flange 25 where it is confined between the walls of member 22 and the upper end portion of member 2|. The gasket 31 5 is compressed and displaced inwardly against the walls of member 22 by a pressure ring 38 which is pressed downwardlylby wing; nuts 39 threaded on the drop bolts 3|, the pressure ring being provided with slotted lugs 40 which receive the drop bolts and against which the wing nuts 39 press. Thus,'the gasket 31 will frictionallyLengagethe outside of member 22 to retain it in the position desired and at the same time a Water-tight seal will be formed between the members 2l' arid- 22 to prevent leakage therebetween.

It will be seen that the depth of the water on the roof l4 may be regulated by releasingth'epressure on the gasket 31 and sliding the member 22 upwardly or downwardly, as desired until the lower tier of openings 34 is at the level at which it is"'desired to'maintain the waterlevel and then the pressure ring is clamped against the, gasket. The stoplugs 35 on member 22 arelocatedto e nage the pressure ringwh'en'th'e lowermost open- 25 ings '34areton a'level withftheroof so that 3110f the water will'drain'from'the roof when'the mem-- e! 22 i i n'it j o rmost pos ti fieferr ns'ndw to isc i of t e 'd 'w nesyl have shQwnTahdtherform'of theinve'ntion in which the tubular dam member 22 extends through an annular shaped base member l2f which is similar inpurpose 'to'the base member 2| and whichis provided with a central tubular portion through which the member 22 extends. The walls of 5 member22 areproximat e to the walls of the. tubularportion, and a flange "I25 extends'outwardly and at an acute angle to the sides of'rnember"22.' Agasketl tf which is similar 'togasket res sfup'q he nse" "and i i p ess 9,1) against-the flange by apre'jssure ring'138 which'is similar in most respects tdring 38'but "the loweredgeof which isdisposedfat an acute 'angle'relag tive to 'thewalls'of'the nie'mber'ZZ'. It will be noted=that the lo'wer edge surfacefis at such angle-to -eause a camniing'. Oflthfi "material ofgasket I31 inwardly against member 22 when, the-ring is pressedjtowa'rdflange l 25,. It will also be noted that the flange I25 "is 'angularly dis pqsed'so that'it' tends'to'force'thematerial of thefisa aga n "member .2- P e sureis ap plied to 'ring' l 38 byfbolts'fl 3 t, only one of which is'shown; h e i' tend thr openin i rin li iaandfengagethieads in member "l2l: this formofthe invention" a more positive lateral pressure is exerted1on'thegasket"I31 to insurea" firm and water-tight: connection between the proximate wal s or-inemb r zz'and-theel ment l-Zl heav ness-Fig. 4-51 have shown still another I form of {the 'inventidnin-which themember 22 3 extendsthrough a? central tubular portion of: 'a base member 22 l which is similar in function "to base member 2 L'- fIhe fW'BZHS -Of themember 22 are roximate td the walls' ofthe tubular -po rtion' 6 5 of- 'mem'ber 22- I The 111 1 61 end of-' the tfibul'ar portion of the member 22 l' is threaded and" the upper edge or 1 the tubular portion -eXtends at right angles to the walls ohtube 22." An annular 'gasketi23? is disposedaround the:tube 22 and' it abuts the upwardlytracing-surface":01 the upper edge. of the tubular portion-member "22 l A capi memberZBB; whichhas aicentral open-ingathrough which the-tube member- 22 -extends, is :threaded on the tubular portion of member 2n and this;

cap has a curved formation at 239 which engages the gasket 231 and urges the material of the gasket inwardly against the tubular member 22.

In this form of the invention the drop bolts 3| and wing nuts 39 are eliminated.

'IThus,-by my-inventionl have provided a readily adjustable device for maintaining any desired water drainage level on a roof or the like. While providing ready adjustment of the dam element throughout a wide range, a completely watertight and firm connection is maintained between o the dam and its supporting part. Furthermore, the device'maybe applied to the usual type of roof drains so that the application of my device toexisting roof drains is possible with but a minimum of parts and it may be substituted for upwardly extending .tubular portion disposed entirely within said sump, atubular-dam member extendingeabove said .roof and telescoped.into

and adlustably supportedby the base member,

and packing means supported by said tubular member of the base-memberand acting on the external surface of the tubulardam-member to form arr external water-tight joint between the dam-member and the basemember near thetop. level of the base member; said basemember having a lower flange supported .by-said sump tor mounting the base member overand in sealed relation-to said drain-conduit with the tubular dam'member in alignment with the conduit, said packing means comprising a compressible gasket acting between the 'outer ;surface of the tubular dam member and' thetubular portion of the basemember 'and a compressing.ring:acting on the. gasket, said packing means being'meleasable by I said compressing ringto permit the dam memben.

to be lowered downwardly'in the conduit-and V caus'e'dammed water toescapethrough-the dam memher while beingdirected to the drain-cone" duit.

the sumpis provided with a :downwardly and liIll-l wardlydnclined bottom; andiini which vthe flange on the-base member is correspondingly inclined so, asitoseat on the inclined'bottom of" the-sump; with- =the;- darn member in alignment with -the;

drainiconduit.'-

AARON MATHEISS REFERENCE s orrsp The following references are, of record in-tl e file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,487,161 'Hd1t" Mar. 18,1924 1,558,592 Chester= Oct; 27, 1925 1,8'7352'15 Booseyx n; Aug. 23, 1932 1,999,084 Camerot'ai Ape-23,1935- 091,927 Hirshstin "Aug. 31, 1937- 2,359,701- i Weaver r.= o h-3, 1944.: 

